Organizations such as on-line retailers, Internet service providers, search providers, financial institutions, universities, and other computing-intensive organizations often conduct computer operations from large scale computing facilities. Such computing facilities house and accommodate a large amount of server, network, and computer equipment to process, store, and exchange data as needed to carry out an organization's operations. Typically, a computer room of a computing facility includes many server racks. Each server rack, in turn, includes many servers and associated computer equipment.
Because the computer room of a computing facility may contain a large number of servers, a large amount of electrical power may be required to operate the facility. In addition, the electrical power is distributed to a large number of locations spread throughout the computer room (e.g., many racks spaced from one another, and many servers in each rack). Usually, a facility receives a power feed at a relatively high voltage. This power feed is stepped down to a lower voltage (e.g., 110V). A network of cabling, bus bars, power connectors, and power distribution units, is used to deliver the power at the lower voltage to numerous specific components in the facility.
In some computer systems, one or more rack-level power distribution units are provided in a rack to distribute electrical power to the many servers in the rack. Each of the rack-level power distribution units may include a case with a large number of receptacles, each of which may be used to supply power to a different server, and a built-in input power cable that passes out of the case. Rack-level power distribution units may be attached to one or both interior sides of the rack near one end of the rack.
From time to time, rack PDUs operating in a data center may fail and need to be replaced. Removing a rack PDU may involve disconnecting a power input cable from a power source and feeding the power input cable into the rack (for example, through the bottom of the rack and false floor). Installing the replacement rack PDU may involve feeding the new power input cable back through and connecting to the power source.
In data centers, a significant number of power connections may be required from each rack PDUS to numerous server in the rack. If the rack PDU needs to be removed and serviced or replaced, service personnel may have to go through a time-consuming and laborious process of disconnecting each of numerous connections so that the rack PDU can be removed, and then, after the rack PDU is removed, go through another time-consuming and laborious process of reconnecting each of the power cable plugs to the rack PDU. In many cases, the power cable plugs to be reinstalled are out of order. Also, because of the number of connections, in cases where each of the servers is assigned to a particular receptacle or group of receptacles of the rack PDU, there is the possibility that an error may be made during the reconnection process. For example, service personnel may incorrectly switch two of the plugs, with the result that some of the plugs are installed in the wrong receptacles.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean including, but not limited to.